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See the future of imaging in a completely new way at the 6Sight Future of Imaging Executive Conference.



by Future Image
CEO Alexis Gerard
and Bob Goldstein






Memberships
i3a Orgi3a Org


Future Image was founded in 1991 on the premise that the analog imaging industries would inevitably transition to a digital platform, requiring them to embrace accelerating technology developments and adapt to changing business models, fierce competition from new players, and shifting customer requirements.

Today our mission continues to be the predictive analysis of the interplay between technological innovation, changing customer behaviors and desires, and financial opportunities. Our track record in this respect is unchallenged. A few notable examples: • Future Image forecast the emergence of the mass market for consumer digital cameras as early as 1993, and developed the first segmentation/forecasting models (published jointly with IDC) in 1995. • We developed the segmentation model of reference for web-based photo services in 2000. • We were first to forecast — in 2001 — that camera-phones would exceed all other types of cameras combined within five years — and the first to project the far-ranging consequences for users, technology vendors and service providers.

Future Image delivers its expertise through executive conferences, continuous information services, research studies, and custom advisory services. Our client base includes the leading corporations in the imaging, computer/peripherals/software, and telecommunications industries, as well as government agencies, financial institutions and corporate IT departments.

As a participant in the imaging ecosystem, Future Image also believes its responsibilities include contributing to the overall health and growth of the industry, which it does through vendor-neutral public awareness projects such as the Visual Communication Initiative as well as imaging supplements in Red Herring and Forbes magazines, and others.

Executive Conferences

6Sight Conference

Monterey (CA) November 18-19, 2008

Future Image successfully held the second 6Sight® Future of Imaging conference in 2007 and is planning an even bigger and better event for 2008. 6Sight focuses on the explosive global spread of imaging technology, and its potential for exciting new opportunities to improve people’s lives in the personal, work, and community spheres. The annual event brings together technologists, marketers, futurists, artists, educators, customers and members of the media for a program emphasizing innovative use cases, breakthrough technologies, and creativity. The 2008 will be held November 18-20 at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, Calif. Visit www.6Sight.com for more information.

6 Sight Report

6 Sight Report

Often described as "the Wall Street Journal of the imaging industry", the 6Sight Executive Information Service is a continuous information service designed for industry executives, entrepreneurs and investors. It includes both a weekly and a monthly component:

The 6Sight Report, a monthly 16-page publication considered required reading for executives in the digital imaging industry since 1993. The 6Sight Report features trends analysis, market research reports, exclusive conversations with industry leaders, information on high-level job openings and major transitions at imaging companies.

The 6Sight Weekly Briefing, a concise executive briefing covering the week's most important news in the Digital Imaging Industry. The 6Sight Weekly Briefing focuses on four key areas: Internet Imaging - services, alliances, tools, leading edge applications; Digital Cameras - the latest product and marketing news; Digital Camera Components and Architectures - what's happening in sensors, processors, removable media, file formats and more; Industry Updates - significant developments in other industry areas, from printers to scanners to application software.





Research Studies

Future Image conducts and publishes primary research studies on the user adoption patterns and competitive dynamics of emerging imaging technologies and business trends. Recent study topics include the dynamics of camera-phones; the convergence of still and motion (video) capture devices; digital imaging and consumer electronics; and web and network-based social interaction infrastructures for imaging.




Digital photos are computer files, and those files can contain more information than just the ones and zeroes that describe the image.








Today many Web-based businesses depend on content created by their audience — and yet they do not know what motivates the people who provide the crucial photos and videos, and how they are different from the more common viewers.

“User-generated Visual Content: – Understanding The Supply-Side Motivations” surveys hundreds of popular content creators and analyzes their reasons, compared and contrasted against a control group of average Web users.


Industry Initiatives

Visual Communication Initiative

The recent explosion in easy to use image capture and display devices such as digital cameras and camera-phones, and the networks that connect these devices -primarily the internet and the cellular wireless infrastructure- are for the first time in history enabling average people to use images as part of everyday language. "I wish you could see what I see" can now become "Take a look at this". The Visual Communication Initiative explores the potential of this phenomenon to revolutionize interpersonal communication in business, and its impact on society at large.

To date the Visual Communication Initiative has produced a special section in Forbes magazine, and a book entitled "Going Visual - Using Images to Enhance Productivity, Decision-making and Profits", published by John Wiley & Sons. Additional projects are under development.

Visual Communications Initiative Forbes Section Giong Visual, the Book Going Visual Website Going Visual Blog (arriving soon)

Initiative Partners:


Advisory Services

Future Image analysts are available to assist customers with projects related to product design and development, positioning, market segmentation and targeting, and strategic communications. Our focus is exclusively on imaging, however within that specialization we offer a broad range of skills and experience that includes conducting user surveys and focus groups, developing market segmentation models, crafting positioning statements, performing competitive feature set analysis, and more.

Future Image’s client list features corporations ranging from Fortune 100 to startups, institutional and private investors, government and educational institutions. They include: Adobe Systems, Apple Computer, Cadence Design Systems, the California Historical Society, Canon, Eastman Kodak Company, Eveready Battery, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Leaf Systems, Minolta, Motorola, National Semiconductor, NeXT, Olympus, Polaroid, Procter & Gamble, Quebecor, Sony, Sprint, Visioneer.

Future Image analysts are also experienced at providing expert witness services.